Archive for February, 2011
Queen of the night – a regal display
February 9th, 2011 | 
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Posted in When you hear the word “desert” you tend to imagine a place consisting of sand and vast empty spaces. Namibia certainly does have landscapes like that, but it also has beautiful trees, grasses and flowers. We were introduced to a rather spectacular flower last week that had us eager to learn more about the plant itself. It is the amazing “Queen of the Night” or “Selenicereus grandiflorus” – a cactus with flowers that bloom after sunset and only last for one night.
In fact the Queen of the Night is known by numerous names (like night-blooming cereus, sweet-scented cactus, vanilla cactus, large-flowered cactus, koningin van die nag to mention a few)Â and the one that we saw was most probably a sub-species or a hybrid of the original Selenicereus grandiflorus, which is quite rare in cultivation according to Wikipedia.
We saw the blooms shortly after a rain shower and they looked exquisite with raindrops clinging to the petals.
The white flowers, which give off a heady scent rather like vanilla, are quite large and open up to reveal an intricate arrangement of stamens in their midst. The sepals are a green/brown colour and they delicately frame the gorgeous blooms.
Although they are known to flower for one night only, there are a number of buds on the stems, which means that you can see flowers on more than one night if your visit is timed correctly to coincide with the buds opening.
The stems of this cactus are cylindrical in shape and covered with clusters of thorns. They crawl along the ground and take root in the most inhospitable places. The shrub that we saw had climbed up a rock face and spread out in a tumble of stems and flowers.
I was up early the next morning to see how the blooms had wilted, and was surprised to see them still looking quite good in spite of the weak morning sunshine. No doubt once the day warmed up the flowers would have wilted very quickly.
Selenicereus grandiflorus is used in the homeopathic remedy cactus grand. for the treatment of heart ailments. What a shame that the flowers don’t last – they certainly are magnificent and would be a real feast for the eyes if they were around for longer.
We saw the blooms shortly after a rain shower and they looked exquisite with raindrops clinging to the petals.
The white flowers, which give off a heady scent rather like vanilla, are quite large and open up to reveal an intricate arrangement of stamens in their midst. The sepals are a green/brown colour and they delicately frame the gorgeous blooms.
Although they are known to flower for one night only, there are a number of buds on the stems, which means that you can see flowers on more than one night if your visit is timed correctly to coincide with the buds opening.
The stems of this cactus are cylindrical in shape and covered with clusters of thorns. They crawl along the ground and take root in the most inhospitable places. The shrub that we saw had climbed up a rock face and spread out in a tumble of stems and flowers.
I was up early the next morning to see how the blooms had wilted, and was surprised to see them still looking quite good in spite of the weak morning sunshine. No doubt once the day warmed up the flowers would have wilted very quickly.
Selenicereus grandiflorus is used in the homeopathic remedy cactus grand. for the treatment of heart ailments. What a shame that the flowers don’t last – they certainly are magnificent and would be a real feast for the eyes if they were around for longer.
Tags: cactus that blooms for one night only, for the treatment of heart ailments, homeopathic remedy cactus grand., koningin van die nag, large-flowered cactus, night-blooming cereus, Queen of the night, Selenicereus grandiflorus, sub-species or hybrid of Selenicereus grandiflorus, sweet-scented cactus, vanilla cactus | 
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Bird of the week – Week 57: Grey heron
Large grey herons are a common sight at many dams, rivers estuaries, lagoons and other bodies of water within southern Africa. Unmistakable with their long necks, long legs and dagger-like beaks, the Grey heron and the Black-headed heron share an almost identical range and although they are similar in size and general grey appearance, they are not difficult to tell apart.
The Grey heron is a large bird, about 94 cm in length, and, as mentioned, has predominantly grey plumage. Its head and neck long are white (the Black-headed heron has a black crown and black hind-neck), it has a distinct broad black eyebrow, long brownish legs and a bright yellow bill. During the breeding period the bill becomes bright orange and the legs become pink. In flight the under wings are uniformly grey (the Black-headed heron is black and white under-wing). The sexes of the Grey heron are alike in plumage and the females are slightly larger than the males.
Active both during the day and at night, the Grey heron favours shallow water when it is feeding. It may hunt while wading or while standing perfectly still and waiting for a likely morsel to approach. It feeds mainly on fish, but also on molluscs, worms and insects. Its call, a harsh “kraank” is most commonly given when the bird is in flight. It flies slowly, with its neck retracted into an “S”, a characteristic that is common to all members of the heron family.
The Grey heron is generally a solitary bird, except when breeding. They are monogamous and may breed colonially, often sharing the colony with other species of waders. The nest is a platform of sticks, with the actual nesting area lined with smaller sticks and grass. The female lays a clutch of  one to four blue  or greenish-blue eggs that hatch after an incubation period of approximately 28 days.
The scientific binomial for the Grey heron is Ardea cinerea; Ardea from the Latin for a heron, and cinerea from the Latin for grey. Thus the name describes a grey heron. Can’t say clearer than that.
Active both during the day and at night, the Grey heron favours shallow water when it is feeding. It may hunt while wading or while standing perfectly still and waiting for a likely morsel to approach. It feeds mainly on fish, but also on molluscs, worms and insects. Its call, a harsh “kraank” is most commonly given when the bird is in flight. It flies slowly, with its neck retracted into an “S”, a characteristic that is common to all members of the heron family.
The Grey heron is generally a solitary bird, except when breeding. They are monogamous and may breed colonially, often sharing the colony with other species of waders. The nest is a platform of sticks, with the actual nesting area lined with smaller sticks and grass. The female lays a clutch of  one to four blue  or greenish-blue eggs that hatch after an incubation period of approximately 28 days.
The scientific binomial for the Grey heron is Ardea cinerea; Ardea from the Latin for a heron, and cinerea from the Latin for grey. Thus the name describes a grey heron. Can’t say clearer than that.
Mouth Ulcers – Kill or Cure!
Have you ever wondered what makes some human beings tick? I mean, what makes some people overflow with the milk of human kindness and others with the venom of a basketful of asps? I’m always amazed at people’s sense of humour so thought I’d share some comments that I found on a website recently.
But first let me set the scene. For the last couple of weeks I’ve had some really dreadful mouth ulcers that have rendered me almost incapable of eating or brushing my teeth properly. I tried all the ointments one buys over the counter at the pharmacist to no avail, and then decided to go onto a website that deals with ulcer remedies. Like everyone else who logged on to the site, I was in great pain, feeling miserable, and thought that perhaps I might come across an obscure remedy used by someone’s long-gone Grandma!
Allow me to share some comments from folks helping each other out when they are desperate for relief from agonizing ulcers (and remember that vets euthanase animals in far less pain than this) :
Advice : “Simply dab a bit of sulphuric acid on the ulcer. It will disappear in seconds. I tried it and it works.”
Response : “Sulphuric acid can be found in batteries. That is NOT good advice because it could eat through your entire lip.” (Follow this advice and you could be asking for recommendations on a reconstructive surgeon.)
Advice : “Pour neat hydrogen peroxide on the ulcer.”
Response : “Not a good idea to use it neat. I suggest you dilute it first. It will burn like sh*#!! but it does work.”
Advice : “Rub salt into the ulcer and then gargle with salt water every few hours. Salt hurts so don’t say I didn’t warn you!”
Response : “Ok, I’ve tried salt at least three times a day. It seems to mislead you into thinking it’s working, but in actual fact it has made it worse. Now the ulcer is twice the size it was before the treatment.”
Another response to salt : “Holy hell! Tried the salt and it hurts like a bitch. Didn’t work either.”
Advice : “Rub toothpaste into the ulcer. It does burn a bit.”
Response : “Toothpaste is the worst stuff to rub into the ulcer. It actually contains the chemicals that cause ulcers in the first place.”
Advice : “My cousin had a really bad mouth ulcer. She rubbed battery acid on it and it healed.”
Response : Battery acid will be absorbed into your bloodstream and even small doses can cause permanent damage. Anything larger than 0.002 can kill you. Please don’t do it.”
Advice : “Try Strychnine – it doesn’t only end ulcers, it’s a cure for all of life’s problems.”
Response : “FOR GOD’S SAKE DO NOT TRY THE STRYCHNINE, IT WILL KILLYOU VERY VERY DEAD.”
Advice : “Put some snuff on it and rub it right in.”
No response to that one, maybe everyone thought he was referring to nose ulcers.
Advice : “Use a Q-tip to rough up the sore, which will bring tears to your eyes (no kidding!) then take a piece of copper sulphate stone and place it on the sore.”
No response – I guess the guy who tried that one died on the spot!!
Advice : “Take a match – burn it for 5 seconds, let it cool and place it on the sore. Burns like hell, but works after a couple of days.”
Response : Holy crap!!! I didn’t read the bit that said let it cool down before applying to the ulcer.”
Advice : “Vegemite – it contains Vitamin B.”
Response : “Okay, I tried putting Vegemite on and it does burn to the point where you make funny faces and drool. I’ll only know in a few days if it works”
Advice : “Put a used teabag on the ulcer.”
Response : “Oh thank you, thank you, you kind lovely lady. Even if it doesn’t work at least it’s not going to sting the hell out of us all.”
This website is an absolute hoot and an insight into what lengths people will go to for a cure – and how gullible they are.
I’m still not sure what the cure is, but a friend has just recommended that I rub my ulcer vigorously with steel wool followed by a neat white vinegar gargle for an hour. It sounds like it could be a bit painful – I wonder if I could replace the steel wool with a nail brush?
You’re welcome to give it a whirl, but I can’t promise that it will
a)Â Â Â work,
b)Â Â Â not burn, sting or make you faint,
c)Â Â Â not make your eyeballs pop out of your skull or cause a stroke
d)Â Â Â cause death or anything more serious.
Response : “Sulphuric acid can be found in batteries. That is NOT good advice because it could eat through your entire lip.” (Follow this advice and you could be asking for recommendations on a reconstructive surgeon.)
Advice : “Pour neat hydrogen peroxide on the ulcer.”
Response : “Not a good idea to use it neat. I suggest you dilute it first. It will burn like sh*#!! but it does work.”
Advice : “Rub salt into the ulcer and then gargle with salt water every few hours. Salt hurts so don’t say I didn’t warn you!”
Response : “Ok, I’ve tried salt at least three times a day. It seems to mislead you into thinking it’s working, but in actual fact it has made it worse. Now the ulcer is twice the size it was before the treatment.”
Another response to salt : “Holy hell! Tried the salt and it hurts like a bitch. Didn’t work either.”
Advice : “Rub toothpaste into the ulcer. It does burn a bit.”
Response : “Toothpaste is the worst stuff to rub into the ulcer. It actually contains the chemicals that cause ulcers in the first place.”
Advice : “My cousin had a really bad mouth ulcer. She rubbed battery acid on it and it healed.”
Response : Battery acid will be absorbed into your bloodstream and even small doses can cause permanent damage. Anything larger than 0.002 can kill you. Please don’t do it.”
Advice : “Try Strychnine – it doesn’t only end ulcers, it’s a cure for all of life’s problems.”
Response : “FOR GOD’S SAKE DO NOT TRY THE STRYCHNINE, IT WILL KILLYOU VERY VERY DEAD.”
Advice : “Put some snuff on it and rub it right in.”
No response to that one, maybe everyone thought he was referring to nose ulcers.
Advice : “Use a Q-tip to rough up the sore, which will bring tears to your eyes (no kidding!) then take a piece of copper sulphate stone and place it on the sore.”
No response – I guess the guy who tried that one died on the spot!!
Advice : “Take a match – burn it for 5 seconds, let it cool and place it on the sore. Burns like hell, but works after a couple of days.”
Response : Holy crap!!! I didn’t read the bit that said let it cool down before applying to the ulcer.”
Advice : “Vegemite – it contains Vitamin B.”
Response : “Okay, I tried putting Vegemite on and it does burn to the point where you make funny faces and drool. I’ll only know in a few days if it works”
Advice : “Put a used teabag on the ulcer.”
Response : “Oh thank you, thank you, you kind lovely lady. Even if it doesn’t work at least it’s not going to sting the hell out of us all.”
This website is an absolute hoot and an insight into what lengths people will go to for a cure – and how gullible they are.
I’m still not sure what the cure is, but a friend has just recommended that I rub my ulcer vigorously with steel wool followed by a neat white vinegar gargle for an hour. It sounds like it could be a bit painful – I wonder if I could replace the steel wool with a nail brush?
You’re welcome to give it a whirl, but I can’t promise that it will
a)Â Â Â work,
b)Â Â Â not burn, sting or make you faint,
c)Â Â Â not make your eyeballs pop out of your skull or cause a stroke
d)Â Â Â cause death or anything more serious.
It can’t be worse than battery acid or any of the other suggestions.
NB : Wilkinson’s World would like to confirm that this is just a tongue in cheek (ouch!!!) look at some of the cures on offer and we don’t recommend that anyone actually uses any of the ideas presented.
